title: Spatially detailed survey on pollution by multiple perfluorinated compounds in the Tokyo Bay basin of Japan.
abstract: Pollution from 35 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the water of the Tokyo Bay basin was examined. The water in the basin contained relatively high levels of perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) compared to the other PFCs, which were present at concentrations of 20.1 ng/L, 6.7 ng/L, and 5.8 ng/L, respectively. In contrast, the concentrations of their precursors and degradation products were an order of magnitude lower. Sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent in the area also contained high levels of PFNA compared with the river water samples (Mann-Whitney U-test, p<0.0002). From a spatial aspect, increases in PFC pollution levels correlated with increased urbanization in the study area suggested that there are nonpoint source contributors to the PFC pollution in this area. Branched isomers of the PFCs were also quantified. Samples that contained high concentrations of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCA) showed lower proportions of its branched isomer. This indicates that the branched isomers are more prominent in the area with lower PFC pollution. This analysis was beneficial for estimating the individual contributions of different PFCA production processes. This survey provided new information on the sources, spatial distribution, and behavioral characteristics of PFC pollutants in this area.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zushi
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motegi
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nojiri
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Toshinari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kosugi
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yaguchi
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masunaga
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002210:Caprylates / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D007564:Japan; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C018959:hexadecafluoro-nonanoic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid